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What’s really special about the Special Olympics

The Special Olympics World Games happened in Los Angeles last month.  It was the largest sports and humanitarian event of the year bringing together 6,500 athletes and 2,000 coaches representing 165 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and 500,000 spectators.  Personifying courage, passion and perseverance.

Click here to watch the video we produced showing all this inspiring event! Below are three powerful lessons the athletes taught me and Parisa about what life feels like when you come from a place of love, learning and leadership.  We are so grateful to have worked with such beautiful, kind souls.

Lesson #1: Be eager to learn. No matter their physical or intellectual challenges, every athlete shared their enthusiasm and openness when learning something new. People didn’t shy away or close down when they were challenged or outside their comfort zone. The majority of the workshop participants didn’t know about Qigong, but as they moved and mimicked what I was doing, their smiles grew bigger as they grew more confident and calm. When you’re eager to learn, you’re fearless.

Lesson #2: Practice gratitude: As I looked around at the thousands and thousands of people sitting in the stands, competing on the field and waving from the sidelines, joy was everywhere. Have you noticed that all happy people love sharing stories? Athletes and families swapped stories about winning, losing and lessons learned. All of us are grateful when we’re surrounded by like-minded people who offer encouragement and belonging irrespective of who is wearing gold, silver or bronze.

Lesson #3: Accept, celebrate and include others. The long-time oath of the Special Olympics is “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” Each of us is blessed with special gifts and special limitations. How we celebrate those differences shape who we are as individuals and who we are as a community. All of us win when we accept, celebrate and include people different from us; our world and our heart grow larger. You know why? You’re perfect just the way you are. We’re all on the same team, playing the same special game.

How to be the change you want to see in the world

“A large majority of the surgical cases coming to me should never really have come. Wrong moral and mental attitudes created functional disturbances in the physical organism and then became organic or structural disease.”

— edited excerpt from How to Change Your Life by Ernest Holmes, Dr John M. Berry former Chief Surgeon and Superintendent of Clifton Springs Sanitarium (New York, 1909)

Every action is preceded by a thought. And every thought fuels a positive or negative emotion. That thought-emotion-action cycle is pretty much your life. Mine too.

Luckily, you can actually train your mind into “right thinking” so what you do, how you feel and who you are benefit your mind, body and spirit. When we train our minds to be peaceful, we also better Serve our loved ones and the world around us.

If you’re reading this post right now (thank you!), you’re likely someone who cares about improving themselves and their world. You’ve got a big heart – and the world loves generous, kind people like you. The whole wide world thrives when we open our hearts and fix our eyes on what we want to change.

In Chinese medicine the heart houses the mind. A weak, closed heart equals a weak, closed (often cruel) mind. Here are five practical tips for strengthening your heart so you can go out there and be the change you want to see in the world.

Practice self-awareness. Mindfulness begins with just one conscious breath. Connect with your conscious observer by watching your thoughts without judgment. Relax and release negative thoughts. Savor thoughts that feel positive and life-affirming. The lowest, slowest emotion is fear. Fear closes your heart. Love opens your heart and your life to others.

Discover your “why”. When you know why you’re doing something (e.g., going to work, parenting your child, quitting sugar) your likelihood for success goes up BIG. Life is supposed to be joyful. Change your mindset, change your life. Find a positive big-picture reason so you’ll feel inspired to keep going.

Create healthy relationships. You know who they are. Crabs in the barrel try to bring you down, down, down. Negative people are toxic, especially if they’re related to you! Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your dreams. When you’re without company or friends, honor the realization you are never alone. You’re an integral, never-to-be-seen again piece of the puzzle.

Cultivate positive habits. Yet again, Gandhi says it best: “Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”

Show self love and self care. You teach people how to treat you. If you don’t know how to forgive yourself, how to celebrate your successes, how to show respect and love, guess what? You’ll attract people who treat you just as badly as you treat yourself. (That’s not blame, that’s law of Attraction.) Find activities, interests, fascinations, hobbies – “stuff” – that fill you with wonder and joy. When you’re enthusiastic and inspired, you are one with spirit. Have fun, spread joy, rest and rejuvenate. Repeat.

One by one we will become “everyone”. And when everyone practices these tips, the world will be a different place. For now, commit to watch your mind, honor your heart and always try your best.

Today and always we pray for peace and harmony for you and the entire world.

Love and Gratitude,

Chris & Parisa Shelton and the Morning Crane Team

Find Reverence!

Reverence and sunset“Reverence” is a feeling of deep respect tinged with awe. If you’ve ever been spellbound by the crashing of waves, the silver of moonlight or the sound of a child’s laughter, you know the gift that is reverence.

If you just thought, “I don’t have time for stuff like that; I’m busy!” it’s time to slow down and look in. There are miracles all around you. Some of my favorite summer miracles include the buzzing of bees in our raspberry bushes, the blooming of flowers downtown in the concrete jungle and the graceful power of the human body.

Take comfort knowing that something higher than you and me has created all of these miracles. Reverence is a form of inspiration that opens our heart to feelings of connectedness, joy and peace. When you feel that “all is well” in the world, even just for a moment, your heart and spirit are wide open. You’ve tapped into the powerful reverent force that is Life.

As spring officially transitions into summer on June 21st, our energy and environment also changes. In Chinese medicine summer is the season when our hearts are most active. Your heart is small, only the size of your fist, but its proper functioning determines life and death. The heart’s importance is matched by its positive virtues. The heart is all about love, love, love; not only romantic love (1:1) but universal love that reminds us of our shared humanity.

The heart is the emperor of the body. More and more studies are proving that our hearts do more than pump blood. Your heart is a muscle and just like the rest of our muscles, our heart can expand on demand. Hearts have electromagnetic impulses that send and receive signals. In simplest terms, the heart has consciousness and these electromagnetic signals have an impact on our body, mind and spirit, as well as others around us. Why is it when we’re stressed our hearts begin to race? Or when we show anger or judgment, why do our hearts sometimes feel pinched or closed? When we admire a sunset and practice reverence, how does our heart know to slow down and calm us down?

Western science – and Western medicine – are finally starting to confirm what Chinese medicine practitioners have known for thousands of years: the heart houses consciousness. The heart’s consciousness is different from our mind chatter and analytical thinking. But the heart presides over a type of intelligence and knowing that was once called “Shen” and is now commonly referred to as “Spirit.” The strength of one’s Shen/Spirit is reflected in how much sparkle you have in your eye, how much spring in your step, the vibrancy in your personality.

Here are three tips for strengthening your spirit, opening your heart and inviting reverence into your life.

Balance warm weather with cool foods. Cool down naturally this summer with yummy treats like watermelon, cherries, cucumber and fresh mint. (You can put mint in your salads or add them to your smoothies.) Bitter but tasty vegetables like rhubarb, bitter greens and kale are heart-loving foods. No matter the weather do your best to avoid eating lots of hot, spicy and/or fried foods.

Cleanse your heart, soften your mind, uplift your spirit. The heart is related to the Fire Element, which helps us cleanse our mind, body and spirit of emotions like excitement, panic and overwhelm. Click here to learn how to cleanse your heart using simple and gentle Qigong movements.

Cool off by getting wet. Go to the pool, party at the beach or jump in the lake! Soak up vitamin D this summer (remember your sunscreen!), drink lots of filtered water, and fill your heart with laughter and joy. Indulge your inner 11-year-old and start building sandcastles. Stay open and reverent as they’re washed away. All is well.

Love and Gratitude,

Chris & Parisa Shelton and the Morning Crane Team

Let the Light In: Heart Advice for Hard Times

Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over again to annihilation can that which is indestructible be found in us.” – Pema Chödrön, author and American Tibetan-Buddhist nun

As May unfolds and Memorial Day approaches, take a moment to remember the people you’ve loved and lost. Perhaps it’s a person you still feel anger and resentment towards? Take a moment and check in with those feelings. No judgement; just look.

When people die we’re often rushed through our grief and mourning.  We get a sanitized unrealistic image of death from TV and movies.  Most people think that if we blur through our pain, our pain won’t find us. But just as laughter and joy are divine so is heartbreak and tears. Grief and sadness, like anger and resentment, demand expression and release. What we resist persists. What we think about we bring about.  What we honor grows stronger.  It’s the Law of Attraction.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) sadness, grief and sorrow are stored in the Lungs. If these powerful emotions are stifled or shunned, we suffer even more. Symptoms of depression and anxiety appear.  Physical aliments such as a soft low voice, a scratchy throat, and a dry cough manifest.  Lung Qi opens into your skin so you may experience skin irritations, rashes and acne.  Also digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea may appear.

As uncomfortable and heartbreaking as grief feels, when we lovingly honor and express our sadness, we begin healing our mind, body and spirit.  Knowing the limitations of a circumstance can enable one to create the best possible opportunities from it, and thus enjoy the fruits of any time or any situation. Know and understand that all physical forms on this planet are impermanent; this too shall pass.

The word “courage” comes from the French term  coeur, which means “heart.” Tune into your heart as you remember the people who’ve passed before you. Tune into your lungs as you breathe in courage, strength and acceptance. Take a moment to practice this simple Qigong Lung Clearing exercise . Give yourself the space to remember that love never dies and pain never lasts.

Love & Gratitude,
-Chris & Parisa Shelton and the Morning Crane team

Bring your body back to balance this Spring!

Spring is in the air!Take a look around today and check out the magnificence of our green, glowing Earth. Lovely spring bulbs are reaching for the sun. Mother Nature is making her annual promise to birth new life and offer sweet renewal.

As the months become warmer and sunnier, our liver – a powerful Yin organ – kicks into overdrive. Springtime is liver time! Your liver is the ultimate spring cleaner that clears out the muck from bad habits, bad moods, and bad karma.

In Western medicine the liver is considered a filter that detoxifies the body’s blood supply. As blood passes through the liver, substances such as prescriptions/over-the-counter medications/illegal drugs/alcohol are broken down. The liver diminishes the negative effects that potentially toxic materials can have on our bodies.

In traditional Chinese Medicine the liver houses the negative emotions of anger, frustration and rage. The liver’s tissues are sponge-like and absorb negative emotions so they don’t “spill over” into other organs. Think of the liver as a powerful de-weeder that encourages your flowers to grow and blossom.

Here are three simple tools that blend Eastern and Western wisdom so you can re-balance your liver and glow this spring.

Do gentle Qigong movements. When you practice these soft meditative movements you are “ringing out” toxic emotions that block and distort energy.

Drink warm water, coconut oil and fresh lemon. This special concoction is a gentle way to detoxify and cleanse your liver and gallbladder.

Develop kindness and compassion. The most powerful virtues in the world are also good medicine for your liver. Be kind, be compassionate. No faking allowed!

The human body is an amazing display of Yin and Yang, ebb and flow, balance and harmony. We believe that by blending the wisdom of both Western and Eastern medicine, each one of us will be led into a new level of human evolution.

May you evolve into perfect well-being, peace and harmony in your body and in your life.

Chris & Parisa Shelton and the Morning Crane Team

Moving Forward without Falling Apart

How you ever felt disappointed? Discouraged? Frustrated? If you imaged your life as a garden, would your patch of paradise be vibrant and bursting with color? Or parched and overrun with weeds?

As the season transitions from winter to spring so does the body, mind, and spirit. Springtime is when the Wood Element is most dominant. The positive virtues of the Wood Element are compassion, creativity and growth. Think of a fresh delicate bud on a sturdy tree. That tiny sprig is soft, flexible and ready to grow, grow, grow. Nature can teach us so much about what we need to nourish our dreams.

As spring approaches, dare greatly and ask, “What do I feel growing inside of me? Let me bring that forth, if I can, for its own sake and not for what it can do for me or how it can advance my standing.” (If you’re a writer, yup – that’s Steven Pressfield’s daily mantra to his mighty Muse.)

Here are some fast and easy tips for nourishing your creativity so you can cultivate the sweet blessings of your dreams and hopes.

Cleanse your liver, soften your mind, uplift your spirit.Our liver is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen just below the diaphragm. The liver is related to the Wood Element, which helps us cleanse our mind, body and spirit of negative emotions such as anger, frustration and impatience. Click here to learn how to cleanse your liver using simple and gentle Qigong movements.

Follow-up intense sessions of creativity and/or movement with rest and relaxation. Yin and Yang at its best! When you decide you’re going to do something, go for it. Focus your intention and energy on why you’re doing something and what you’re doing. But when you’re done with the activity or growing tired, stop! Take the time to recover and replenish. Step away from your Work. Renew your intention by relaxing and refocusing. Now go back out there refreshed and ready to go, go, grow!

Meditate rather than medicate. Rather than drinking that extra glass of wine (love your liver!), texting while driving (dangerous!) or watching television for hours (fattening!), check in with your breath. Watch your thoughts without stories attached. Stop, sit and breathe. Mediation is proven to boost creatively and feed precious brain cells that make you smarter, sharper and sexier. Put down the wine, put down the phone and turn off the television. Now say it with me: OMMMMM.

We hope you feel and receive the bright, loving sunshine that heralds the arrival of Spring. Nourish your creativity, honor your liver and watch compassion, creativity and growth plant deep roots in your life and your world.

OM, Peace, Amen.
Chris & Parisa Shelton and the Morning Crane Team

 

Tips on how to nurture yourself & achieve your dreams

February is a time to feel Love and share Love.  If you’re single, hey! There’s no need to stop reading! And if you’re in a relationship, there’s no need to roll your eyes. (Cupid might be watching.)

Chocolate hearts, bouquets of roses, mushy Valentine’s Day cards. It might be February but those things aren’t on my mind or in my heart. Instead I’m thinking about the Greek word “agape,” which means platonic love, non-judgmental charity and inclusiveness toward the personal and the universal world.

To receive Love, we must share Love. (Sometimes heard as, “You reap what you sow.”) Loving others begins by believing in ourselves and nurturing our inner wisdom and dreams. Your kidneys play a vital role in how well you access self-love and self-appreciation. In Chinese Medicine the kidneys are centers of inner wisdom and willpower. How well (or poorly) we love ourselves is indicative of how healthy and balanced our kidneys are.

According to Chinese Medicine the winter months are part of the Water Season. This time of year impacts our kidneys and their “prenatal essence”, which determines how much energy you have throughout the day and throughout your life. Strong Kidney Qi equals a long life and strong vitality; weak Kidney Qi equals a short life and low energy.  Although our kidneys are like batteries that come with pre-determined energy levels, there are a number of things we can do to ensure that our lives – and our kidneys – are healthy, balanced and energized with joy and wellbeing.

Here are some tips for nurturing your Kidney Qi this month and throughout your precious, heart-led life.

  • Commit to a daily practice of Qigong. Help cleanse and rebalance your kidneys by practicing these gentle, powerful movements. Within minutes you’ll feel calm, energized and centered. Click here to watch Qigong Kidney Cleansing Exercise
  • Go to bed early, get up late. Indulge your body’s desire to hibernate during the winter months. Close the blinds, crawl into bed and stay there! Your mind, body and spirit will reward you in the morning.
  • Drink a lot. A lot of water, of course! (Sorry, wine lovers.) When quenching your thirst, choose filtered water served at room temperature.
  • Eat the sea. Foods that nourish and nurture your kidneys include fruits such as pears and peaches, black beans and other legumes, and super-food sea veggies like nori, wakame, dulse. Seafood is always a tasty, healthy choice.
  • Listen to water. There’s a reason running a bath is so relaxing. The sound of moving water is proven to lessen stress and activate creativity. Add a little Zen to your daily life by running a tiny fountain in your office or treating yourself to a long soak in the tub.

Our goal at Morning Crane is to help you nurture yourself, your life and your world. This month our hearts are set on helping you be a sweetheart to your kidneys.  Your inner Cupid wants you to practice self-love and self-appreciation.  Nourish self-love and share your heart with your inner circle and your community. And then watch as that Love beats all across the world. Agape.  One Love. One Life.  May you Be Peace. And Happy Valentine’s Day… forever 4->.

Love & gratitude,

-Chris and Parisa Shelton and the Morning Crane Team

 

Qigong Tip of The Week – Liver Cleansing Exercise

In this video, Chris Shelton describes the Liver cleansing exercise:

Qigong Tip of The Week – Liver Cleansing Exercise

 

This exercise particularly clears and harmonizes the energy of the liver. It is useful for reducing any of the physical or emotional complaints for wood element imbalance, See Chris’ Book Pg 66. On the emotional level, it targets and reduces the negative emotions of anger and frustration, while encouraging kindness and compassion.

The movement:
1. Start with the Three Regulations: Steady breath, relaxed mind, Wu Ji posture, feet shoulder width apart, shoulders relaxed and broad, tailbone tucked, crown point rising. The tongue should be pointing straight up, touching the roof of the mouth.
2. Pull Down the Heavens three times.
3. Bring the right hand, palm up, to the right side of the body. Position at the ribs.
4. Stretch the left hand forward, wrist cocked so the palm faces out, as if you were trying to push something away from the body.
5. Pull the left arm/palm back, as you push the right arm/palm out. The left palm pulls in to the left side of the ribs, facing up while the right arm extends forward, palm vertical, facing away from you. In other words, the left hand goes back to where the right hand started and the right hand pushes out as the left hand initially did. Widen the eyes and stretch the tendons of the fingers of your outstretched hand.
6. Repeat this exchange. There should be a rolling effect of the palms as they pass one another midway through the movement.
7. Finish by Pulling Down the Heavens three times.

Notes:
1. Do this daily to keep your Liver energy flowing smoothly, but particularly if you have issues to do with anger, resentment or frustration.
2. Keep your shoulders relaxed.

Chris Shelton treats Cung Le – Celebrity Sweat Episode One

Check out this video where Chris treats professional UFC fighter Cung Le

Chris Shelton treats Cung Le – Celebrity Sweat Episode One

 

Celebrity Sweat shows us a day in the life of Cung Le, professional fighter.
How does Cung Le stay fit and healthy?
One of his stops happens to be Morning Crane Healing Arts and Fitness Studio, where Cung Le receives his routine Medical Qigong session.

How to make 2015 the best year of your life!

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.” — Andrew Carnegie

It’s January, the beginning of a new year and a new you! Welcome to 2015 – now is the perfect time to set goals, get quiet and reflect deeply.

So where do you begin? Right where you are. Everything worthwhile in life is slightly outside your comfort zone. Safe, secure and comfortable is not where your bigger, better life lives. Goals that inspire and stretch your imagination are an invitation to your Higher Self to show up, saddle up, and live it up!

We believe that everyone has the power to change. You have the ability to transform your life at any point and at any time. The catch is that you have to want to change and be willing to do the work to change. Here’s an oldie but a goodie: it’s not enough to just wish for a skinnier waistline. You have to change your diet and activities to lose weight. For you to be the best YOU possible, YOU have to set goals and take inspired action. Give yourself deadlines. Be proactive. Go the extra mile. Smile. Enjoy the process. Celebrate your day-by-day wins.

Here are three tiny tips for achieving BIG results by getting quiet, reflecting on past accomplishments and challenges (aka learning opportunities) and setting goals worthy of Who You Are.

Sit and be silent. Sit, breathe and count your breaths. No matter how much you have on your plate or how many kids you have at your table, you absolutely can make the time to consciously count your breaths for 30 seconds. Breathe in, breathe out. You’ll relax immediately. When you access Silence, you access Spirit. So sit, be still and savor the silence.

Meditate and be mindful. Practice Chris’ free Qigong “Renewal of Spirit” meditation to balance mind, body and spirit… in less than 10 minutes! Click here for details

New Year, New You journal practice. With old-fashioned pen and paper, make a list of your accomplishments and what you learned in 2014. Once you’re in a joyful place on the page, make a new list of three to 10 goals for 2015. Close your journal session with one or two super huge crazy goals or wishes you have ZERO idea about how to achieve. For example, one of our goals (the Chris and Parisa show) in 2015 is to finish our second book on holistic health and well-being. Another one of our goals is to decrease our consumption while living balanced, healthy and happy lives. The super huge crazy goal we have a lifetime to fulfill? Chris winning the Nobel Peace Prize!

We hope for you today, this month, this year and forever that you achieve your wildest dreams and your biggest potentials. We’re all on this wild, wonderful ride together.

Let’s help each other and make 2015 the best year of our lives!

Love and Gratitude,
Chris & Parisa Shelton